Heavy drinker Matthew Smith was jailed for life for stabbing to death hairdresser Rachel Long with a birthday cake knife.

Booze-fuelled Smith lashed out with a kitchen knife after causing trouble at a joint 21st birthday celebration at The Volunteer pub in Station Road, Grove.

He had drunk six pints of snakebite, a lager-cider mix, and red wine. He hit Michael Lipscombe, father of birthday girl Anouska, with a wine bottle.

When an angry mob confronted him, he picked up an eight-inch knife, used earlier to cut a birthday cake, and hid it in the back of his trousers.

Six-foot tall Smith, of Herman Close, Abingdon, then drew the weapon and plunged it into Rachel's boyfriend Mark Parker, 20, and the young woman in quick succession.

Rachel, 21, of Kingfishers, Grove, died from an 11cm-deep stab wound but Mr Parker, from Abingdon, who needed life-saving surgery, survived.

Smith put his head in his hands when the six-man, six women jury at Oxford Crown Court found him guilty.

He was also found not guilty of attempting to murder Mr Parker but guilty of wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He had denied all charges.

Rachel's mum Christine, 40, of Stockham Park, Wantage, said: "I am delighted that justice has been done.

"It came out in the trial that Rachel was totally innocent of anything that happened that night and was trying to be a peacemaker.

"Nothing will ever bring her back. She was a wonderful daughter."

Smith was also sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for wounding Mr Parker with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Smith earlier pleaded guilty before Oxford magistrates to causing Michael Lipscombe actual bodily harm by hitting him with the wine bottle. He was given a three-and-a-half years jail.

Waste of a lovely life: See Features

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